1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording/playing device that can receive, store, and reproduce (or play) a broadcast signal, and more particularly, to a recording/playing device and a method for processing a broadcast signal that can receive a broadcast signal and store the received signal in an external storage unit in wireless/wired connection with a broadcast receiving system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
One of the most currently popular digital television (TV) application services relates to equipping a storage medium, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), to a broadcast receiver (or receiving system), so as to provide viewers with additional convenient functions. At this point, various trick plays may be performed on the broadcast signal stored in the HDD. More specifically, apart from the regular (or normal) rate play, trick plays such as slow play, fast play, and reverse play may be supported. In order to perform a trick play, when storing the broadcast signal, characteristics of a video bit stream are extracted, so as to create index data that are correlated, which are stored along with the broadcast signal. Then, when playing the broadcast signal, reference is made to the stored index data, thereby being capable of performing the many trick plays that satisfy the viewer's request.
However, in the related art, by equipping the broadcast receiver with expensive HDD, the fabrication cost of the broadcast receiver inevitably increases. Also, when using a broadcast receiver with embedded (or built-in) HDD, and when a malfunction or error occurs in the HDD, the manufacturer of the broadcast receiver is also responsible for the maintenance and management of the embedded HDD. Therefore, the related art is disadvantageous in that the manufacturer must undergo the inconvenience of after service (A/S) and be responsible for the payment of additional A/S costs. Additionally, since the inside of the broadcast receiver is densely packed, the receiver may lack the space for being equipped with additional HDD. Furthermore, since the HDD is fixed inside the broadcast receiver in an irretrievable condition, the user is incapable of separating (or detaching) the HDD from the main body on his or her own. Therefore, when an error occurs, the problematic HDD may only be replaced by the work of professional maintenance personnel. Accordingly, increasing the storage capacity of the HDD is practically impossible in the related art. Finally, a broadcast signal stored in the HDD of the related art broadcast receiver may only be played (or reproduced) by the corresponding broadcast receiver. Therefore, the corresponding broadcast signal cannot be transferred and played through a different medium.